Tom L

From : midlant

Q: thanks much... i guess i wont worry about it too much. coming from a ford family and owning them myself i guess i have to get used to the quirks of a different manufacturer. ;- steve all yes it is rust and dodge is not the only manufacturer that does not completely protect the underside components. i bought a new corvette that was the same way. when i picked up my ram i immediately put the truck on jack stands removed all the wheels and spent 3 days under the truck priming and painting everything that was unprotected. this also included the removal of drive shafts transfer case and gearbox. it took about 30 hours of labor but remember that you can only do this practically when it is brand new. steve hey all i just purchased a 07 dakota quad cab and im thrilled with the truck. unfortunately i had a flat tire today and while i was lowering the spare i noticed that the drive shaft was literally covered in rust not just speckled but covered in rust. i also noticed a few other components that i couldnt identify to have the same condition. this cant possibly be normal for a brand new truck can it im going to take it to the dealer tomorrow but maybe some of you dodge fans can aleviate some of my fears....am i right to be concerned or is this just a dodge thing thanks! steve .